I feel for you OP - red mite must be 1 of the worst nightmares for a hen keeper Dont forget to check out DIATOM EARTH! I put tons of it in every nook and cranny of my coops and in the nest boxes, and on the floor, on top of which I use thick wads of newspaper instread of straw etc - havent had an in...

God poor you - I had this problem last year, and used to end up crying at the yukkiness of it all. Ok, so you have the girls dusted and in a new coop: if you rub your finger around the ends of the perches/in little corners of the nest boxes etc, are there red smears (ugh) from the redmite? Can you s...

Ive never rehomed a hen, and Ive had hens that have never laid an egg in their entire lives but these two old ladies are different! They are approx 3 times the size of my hybrids. Its amazing how aggressive they are to the little hybrids. I had to seperate them about 2 years ago because they just wo...

I havent been on here for ages, my hens are no longer free ranging so its all a bit un-hen-focused here these days, but I wanted to come on here to ask your opinion on something: Ive got two PB RIR hens that have retired from laying for years, They are nearly 9 yrs old They are in a run with a coop ...

Ive got two Pure Breed Rhode Island Reds that are coming up to 9 years old this month!! Both are in great shape. Actually they are pretty obese and have have been for years! They retired from laying years ago, one retired from laying at about age 2 or 3 - she was always a pretty useless layer! Amazi...

Mike, sorry to hear your hen isnt well. Agree with the others that a purple comb isnt fatal - Ive got a nearly 9 year old PB RIR who occassionally will have a purple comb for a few days and then it goes to pale, then to normal (well for her pale-ish red) - though she doesnt usually go as 'droopy' as...

What are you using to gloss the interior?

I wouldnt worry too much about the perches - they will soon be muddy and covered in poop

Since you are on the job, I would recommend putting a good coating of vaseline on the ends of the perches - to help keep the dreaded redmite off

My new girls are arriving on 10 May and I shall be worming them - no matter what I'm told! As it happens, the date coincides with my routine worming of my existing little flock so it works quite well. What are you getting?!?!? Lucky you! I want to get some new hens (for eggs), but my retired ladies...

as someone said earlier, start as you mean to go on. I let my girls out at around 7.30 during the week, but not til after 8am on weekends. My neighbour, who is 95, lets hers out at 10.30 - 11am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They lay very well! If you keep your coop/shed dark, they will as someone sa...

COLA!! BRILLIANT!! So should one respray with the cola every 2 weeks? or how often? (Does it have to be fizzy?!? How long does it take to dry?!?) I also think putting globs of vaseline on the end of the perches is a good idea! My very des.res. coop that had an infestation of redmite last year, is st...

Havent been on here for a while, but was so sorry to see BUMBLE in trouble again.
She really has been through the wars Mike.
It must be so hard to look at her in trouble/unwell, when you have been through SO much with her already.
Please keep us posted - Im rooting for her here

wow, nightmare experience do you really think a bit of grape stalk could have scratched something enough to cause that much blood though?? Is there some chemical in grapes that could cause a serious haemmourage (spelling) like that?!? Has she eaten grapes before? Lucky you, and lucky hen that you we...

I cant be in because I dont "reside in the United Kingdom"

(and I have several dogs, many retired hens,anxious horse, no job, and ummmmm ... other things to support)

which seemed to the the 'leader'/'top' hen up til now - the Speckledy or the Blackrock? If the 'under hen' trying to take over from the 'top hen'? Jeez wouldnt you think that where there are just two of them that they would get on?!? anything - no matter how random - different in the run/coop/garden...

wow! you must be so pleased with yourselves - they were due to be slaughtered tomorrow - WELL DONE!! Hope they turn out to be healthy girls, with lots of laying life left.